of the past. The defenses of Liège had failed. A vast system of forts had been pounded into ruin. Through breach after breach, the German hosts were pouring. People far away from the scene

ry one except the doctor, and Gavan came down from London to spend Saturday night and Sunday at the place he had taken on the Essex coast. Apart from public anxieties, Sir William had been subject to

before he had time to see anything beyond the entrance and the drawing-room. "Remember how litt

place," Napier reassured he

disorder. "We heard of so many! But this-I think Greta saw an advertisement somewhere about this o

liam, rattling his seals as he

o! But she simply insisted on my going to bed." Lady McIntyre smiled at confession of that helplessness which for long years had, after her beauty, been her stronge

pier, as he asked his wif

at five forty-five, Greta and the children and Miss Ellis. I've come to li

s, looking out of windows. "Seems the very thing

't congratulate

ht!" Sir William sank down in

ed. "It's your own chair! out

ing down at the arms, first on

of your own special chair

doned himself a moment to th

a furnished house! But I should never have thought of furnishing a furnished-And even if I had, I should have been appalled at the idea of packing up heavy furniture and moving i

er, "I should as soon have th

triumphed. "Greta didn't forget you

on't s

the beds. I was afraid at the time she'd feel that. But you see how beautifully s

vaguely about the big room, as though she expected the matches to come running like a dog that hears its name called. "Anybody but Greta might forget a little thing like that. T

h the station. New broom. In a great taking. He'd been hauled over the coals, it seems, by an old retired colonel hereabouts-fella called McManus. Has a place a little way down the coast. T

housemaids and an odd man. But Mc

erywhere,' when he lodged his complaint with th

McIntyre echoed. "Against

ector we knew all about Miss von Schwarzen

said Napier f

arzenberg, wearing a new look of subdued triumph. The American, eager, stirred, smiling in N

ourney, the long stoppages, the waiting for government trains to p

soldiers," Bobby threw in. "

we found out that we were held up for another-a perfectly thr

wered, as she bent her head

a loud stage whisper. "The

inked rapidly and looked at

d tactfully to his father. "I'll

a syl

y. "Well, we know, so you needn't keep it up. And it's

ise, right enough,"

l of mines, so they've shipped the Russian troops from Archangel, lande

s spirited proceeding or not, Bobby had plen

ds and arm-chairs. "Eh? what?" he interrupted himself to say to a footman whom he discovered

liam, but there's an

! What's h

d like to speak to y

k the precaution to turn back and shut the door, aft

wondering whether you will like your room. You'll

o up after tea.

the girl. "We aren't

ution no stranger would have detected either there, or in the words, "I

om the next room were audible, not the wor

Pretty view, don't you think?" She, too,

but she never looked round. The footman w

ed of an untimely desire for taking a stroll-"it seems to 'ave gone hout. But the tea won'